The Lords of Discipline

Will, Mark, and Tradd decide to prove Pig's innocence when he got caught for stealing gasoline this questioning and answering between Mark and Will show Will's loyalty:

“' Who paid for the gasoline?' Mark asked.”

“'I had left my wallet in the barrack. Pig gave me the money to pay for the gas,' I lied”

“'Mr. Pignetti paid for you to fill up your gas tank?'”

“'Yes,'” I lied again” (482).

The Institute has a no lying, no cheating, no stealing or tolerating of anyone who does policy. The fact that Will, who is a member of the honor court, who kicked kids out of the Institute before for lying, lies shows how far he was willing to go to ensure the safety of his friend. Before Will would not lie, he would not even think about it. When Will finds out that Pig was caught stealing, he tells him that there was nothing he could do. There was nothing he could do because it was an open and shut case, the way the honor court sees it: Pig is guilty. Will knows this and even then he still tries to help Pig. This shows how caring and loyal Will is. During the trial he leads the honor court back and forth trying to confuse them. Then he lies for Pig, to prove that even though he knows that Pig does not really have a chance, he lied so they could keep Pig at the Institute. This really does show Will's loyalty to Pig because he risked his expulsion by lying just to save his friend. Will does not like lying and yet he was willing to just so his friend could graduate. In regards to this situation, yes Will's loyalty is enough for him to overlook his flaws. Lying for the protection of Pig shows that he is a loyal person.

“Pearce doesn't have anyone to help him Mark. He's going through the line all alone” (426).

This shows Will's loyalty not only to Pearce but also to the Bear. He promises the Bear he will look out for Pearce and that is what he is doing. He also tells Pearce he will be there and that he should come to him whenever something happens. When the Bear first asks Will to watch out for Pearce, Will was a bit apprehensive. However, Will decides to do it. At this point in the novel, Will's surveillance of Pearce leads him to altercations that are difficult to get out of. Altercations such as: the group The Ten who's main goal was to run anyone who they deemed unfit out of the school. Pearce was one of their targets. Pretty soon watching over him has become a life or death situation. Will's roommates Mark and Tradd realize this and being involved asked Will to stop, but they were already in too deep. Will with little thought in regards to his life, decides to still look out for Pearce. This shows that yes despite his flaws, Will is a caring and loyal individual. It is enough because he risks his life getting more involved with The Ten just to ensure the protection of Pearce. Will says that Pearce does not have anyone that he's alone. By trying to help him and be there for him Will is showing his loyalty.

“I've got to try everything...Do you understand that? I got us into this. All of this is my fault. Every time I look at you I feel guilty. I think that if you only had another roommate you'd dance across that stage June Week without a hitch. I could take it if it was just me, Mark. I really could. But I hurt the whole room...” (524).

Even though it seems as if Will is doing what he is out of guilt, it is not. It is out of loyalty and love for his roommate. He did not have to help them, he could have ignored the fact that he was the one who got them in the mess and that he is the one who has to take them out. He is remorseful for hurting his whole room, but due to his loyalty for his friends he wants to free them of their problems. This does overlook his flaws, because he is breaking and entering and breaching the trust of a family, to save his friends. Entering into Commerce's house and reading his journals was a bad thing to do. However, it needed to be done to secure a happy a future for his friends. It shows his loyalty is enough for him to be a Whole Man, because he is a man of honor and a man of his word. He promises to get his roommates out of trouble and he does. He kept his word, therefore he is a man of honor. He could have ran away in fear but he fought back out of loyalty and love.